This is actually one of the few recipes that is completely my own. Well, technically, Paul's, adapted by me. So maybe not TOTALLY my own. I was lucky enough to marry an amazing cook, and made sure he taught me how to make some of the basics. And how much more basic can you get but chicken soup?
We make this whenever anyone feels like they're coming down with, or fighting off something. It has all the wonderful anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties of garlic, turmeric, ginger, and black pepper. Plus, the nice tummy soothing properties of fennel and ginger. Of course, this recipe is super adaptable, so if you mess with the amounts of anything, or need to leave certain things out, or add something else you love, it'll still turn out pretty awesome. For example, my dad is allergic to ginger, and has a rough time with black pepper and garlic.. So when we make it for him, we leave out the ginger, and minimize the other two. And you know what? It still rocks. So here's the thing with my own recipes. I suck at measuring stuff. If you want super accurate measurements of everything, you came to the wrong blog. Mine are more like rough estimates. ;) Below is a basic idea, for the details, you will just have to use 'the force'. Seasonings: 1 medium sized onion (I really don't care if it's yellow or red, cook's choice) 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped* 2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped* 3 inches or so of fresh turmeric, peeled and finely chopped** salt and pepper to taste (bonus germ fighting points if you use freshly cracked black pepper) 1 Tbs or more of Herbs de Provence (if you don't have this in your chicken, you are seriously missing out) *Fresh garlic, ginger and turmeric is best for fighting off colds, but if all you have is minced in a jar ginger and garlic, and turmeric powder in a jar, they are still yummy and better than not using them at all. **If using turmeric powder, use about 2 tsp-ish. The rest: 1 lb of potatoes (I like using red or yellow, but russets work ok) 1 bulb of fresh fennel (anise) 1 lb of carrots 16 oz, or less of mushrooms (bonus if you use shiitake, they have good germ fighting aspects, but use fewer, as they will totally change the taste of the soup. We usually use baby Bellas or criminis, your choice) *Optional: celery, kale, or whatever other veg you love. If you add kale, add it 5-10 minutes before you are ready to eat. 2 lbs or so of skinless boneless chicken thighs. (again, use breasts if you want, use bone in if you want more a bone broth and don't mind separating them after it boils, whatever. We just like thigh meat) Chicken bullion of your choice to make the equivalent of at least 2 quarts of chicken stock. This really depends on how big of a pot you are using. The way we measure it, there is usually just barely enough liquid to cover all the ingredients by a couple of inches at the top of the pot. If your pot is bigger, or you like a brothier soup, you'll probably need to add more chicken stock. Add water after getting everything else in, to fill the pot. Directions: Chop everything, while listening to music or watching your favorite show. Fantastic time for me to watch my shows without feeling like I'm wasting time, or being a bad mom. I get to tell my kids, "I can't play with you right now, I'm cooking dinner." Not, "I can't play with you, I'm watching 'Leverage' ". See how the first one makes me sound like a responsible parent who is doing all kinds of nice things for her family? I just told you the secret reason why I like spending so much time in the kitchen...sssshhhhh, don't tell. Anyways, you can do the thing where you add the garlic, onion, turmeric, ginger, and a little oil into the pan before you add chopped veggies and water, or you can start with some water and add it into that. Not much of a difference in the end product. Your choice. When I make it, I do the sautéing thing, then add the chicken and sauté it with them, then add water and veggies. Paul does it the other way. Water first, then everything else. And you know what? Turns out great both ways. Anyways, after you get all the chicken and veggies you're gonna fit in, add more water if you need to, or can fit it, the herbs de Provence, the salt and pepper, and the chicken bullion. Hey, fun fact for all you fellow DF/GF friends out there: The Better Than Bullion chicken stock jars in the store? Yeah, those have dairy in them. It took a friend of mine pointing that out before I realized why I got an upset stomach every single time we made this soup. It's not in any other of their stocks, just the chicken. Stupid. So we switched while in the states to using a powder that we really liked. I was surprised at how few additives there were in the Knorr brand. And here in Norway, they only sell cubes in the stores, and only one kind at that.. Fortunately, don't have any other weird dairy or gluten ingredients in them. Ok, by now you have all the ingredients in your big ass pot. Bring your soup to a boil, then put a lid on and let it simmer for about 30-45 minutes, until everything is cooked through. We used to make it in our pressure cooker in the states, but it wouldn't fit in our luggage! So that and my beloved KitchenAid stand mixer are sitting oh so lonely in storage. I miss them. :::sniff::: If you're lucky enough to have a pressure cooker, this will be ready in about 20 minutes. You'll have to take the cooked chicken out and kind of shred or chop it up and add it back into the soup. Careful! It'll be hot. Sitting in boiling water will do that. Oh so carefully, check the flavor of the broth. Add more herbs de Provence, salt, pepper, or chicken stock if needed, or until your liking. You know you need more chicken bullion if the broth tastes like water. Dish it up, and if you're my husband, generously sprinkle red pepper flakes all over your serving. It helps clear up the sinuses. Or so I'm told.
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AuthorPart time Dessert Goddess, part time dinner slinger, part time recipe hacker and full time mom. ArchivesCategories |